


The End of the Beginning

by salamanderApocalypse



Series: The Arcsieran collection [1]
Category: Guild Wars 2 (Video Game), Guild Wars Series (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, Claw Island, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-02-11
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:28:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22670059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/salamanderApocalypse/pseuds/salamanderApocalypse
Summary: For @tyrias-library's confession prompt.During the Battle of Claw island, a confession that was a long time coming.
Relationships: Magister Sieran/Player Character (Guild Wars)
Series: The Arcsieran collection [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1630855
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	The End of the Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> These prompts were supposed to be fluff. This is not fluff. Unfortunately for my commander, Arceidai, the only times they have are bad times. If they were to do this at any other time they'd have to talk about their feelings, and we can't have that.

The air was putrid with the stench of decay. Arceidai’s stomach churned with every inhale, their eyes watered, and their lungs burned. They thought they’d be ready for this. They had already seen some horrifying things, they’d read every book the priory had on the champions of the elder dragons, they’d been preparing for this since they first woke up. 

However much they thought they knew, nothing could have prepared them to actually see one in person. 

Its faded red wings alone were bigger than anything Arceidai had ever seen, let alone the entire dragon. They were so tattered it was remarkable they still served any purpose. Under its scaled shoulders open ribs revealed the tendons and sinew that tied the beast together. In fact, below its shoulders the entire beast was made from strings of rancid, greying flesh that almost seemed to ooze foul brown liquid. The most complete part of it was the rounded face which was covered in slick looking scales, and had four lumps like small horns across the top. Deep red slits across its face formed its flaring nostrils, and from the spaces between those blade-like teeth escaped a ghastly scream, spraying more of that brown liquid across the courtyard. 

Every part of them screamed to grab Sieran and just run. Run, forget about this, forget about the elder dragons, forget about their wyld hunt and their destiny. If this was only a champion of Zhaitan, how could they be expected to face the real thing. How could anyone?

They had a job to do. These soldiers needed their help, and if Arceidai hesitated for a second more people were going to die. Get everyone to the docks. Get everyone off the island. There were too many risen for this small group to fight. Trahearne was a formidable necromancer, but he was encumbered with Deputy Mira. Deputy Mira who was out of commission. The remaining Lionguard couldn’t last much longer in a fight, especially not flanked as they were. Their Moa, Chirp, was ready as always for blood, but could only take on so many risen at once. They couldn’t do this. They had to do this.

“ The dragon's servants will never let our ships sail. If they surround the docks, they'll slaughter us— and Zhaitan's forces will grow.” Sieran said. There was a horror to her words Arceidai had never heard before.

“We can’t form a defense. Not like this. The soldiers can barely even stand, let alone fight.” Arceidai shook their head.

“Someone needs to hold them off and give everyone else time to escape.” Sieran was too solemn, too serious. She almost sounded sad. She took a deep breath, straightening as she steeled her resolve “No, not someone. Me.”

“Sieran, that’s insane. You can’t win against those monsters.”

“If I can keep them busy, it's enough of a win for me. Gixx always said I was an exceptional troublemaker.”

“What do you...?” Arceidai’s head spun as they tried to process what Sieran was planning. “No. You can’t.”

“It’s okay.” She sheathed her daggers, taking Arceidai’s hands in her own. She examined their face with misty eyes, like she was trying to memorise every detail. “When you and I met, I didn’t think of anyone but myself. But in my short life, you’ve taught me the most important lesson. People go through anything for the people they love.”

“Sieran stop. Don’t do this. Please don’t do this. Please there’s got to be another way.” Arceidai begged.

“I know it doesn’t matter. Not anymore. But I have to do this, Just once.”

“Wh-” Before Arceidai could do anything, Sieran’s lips were pressed against theirs.

It was ironic, really. How it made them the happiest and the saddest they’d ever been. If this had happened at any other time.  _ Any _ other time, in any other context…

They could have been happy together. 

If they could've lived in that moment forever, holding her, finally. Like they had wanted to for so long. They didn’t want to let go. 

“I love you.” Arceidai breathed, hot tears streaming down their face. They gripped her hands as tightly as they could, shaking, savouring the moment as long as they could. "Please don't go."

Sieran finally pulled herself away, ruefully smiling.  “It's okay. I've always wondered what it would be like to go to the mists. It'll be an adventure.”

Arceidai reached out for her as she turned her back to them, shoulders squared with resolve, back towards the plaguebringer. 

“I can’t let you hurt them. I won’t.”

“SIERAN.” Arceidai desperately lunged forward toward the fortress’ doors as they slammed shut.

And she was gone. 

Sieran was gone. 

Sieran with her beautiful laugh, with her foolhardy plans, her clever wit. Arceidai’s first friend, or at least the first real friend who actually liked them for who they were. She was in danger, they had to help, they had to get into the fort, they had to, they had to-

“Magister?” Trahearne placed a hand on their shoulder and spoke, gently “Arceidai we have to get to the docks. Mira is in bad shape. You’ll have to cut a path for us.”

They looked at him. He was right. There wasn’t time for this. They knew there wasn’t time for this. The Lionguard needed them. Everyone needed them. They had a job to do. They were made for a reason. They couldn’t afford to feel this, not now. Not ever. They backed away from the door, then turned and walked towards the moored ships.

“Sic em.” Arceidai said, their voice completely flat. They notched an arrow as Chirp lunged into action against the swarms of undead.

Trahearne nodded, and addressed the remaining troops.

“ Hurry, to the ships! This sacrifice shall not be in vain!”

Arceidai released their arrow at the closest risen, piercing its skull where its eye used to be. The next arrow tore a head straight from its rotten neck. Chirp went closer, drawing the swarms attention as Arceidai’s arrows rained devastation from above. Shrieking with an ungodly rage, he ripped into flesh that fell apart too easily. The risen tried to claw into the moa, pulling white feathers free, but he did not falter. Arceidai was silent as they cut their way through the swarms, picking off each decaying form one by one.

  
  


The air was putrid with the scent of decay, and no matter what new horrors the elder dragons threw at them, Arceidai would tear each and every one of them down. 


End file.
